Castle War Battle Plan

Castle War Battle Plan: Operation Iron Fist

For context, the KvK (Kingdom vs. Kingdom) and SvS (State vs. State) events are large-scale, cross-server competitions where two kingdoms fight for supremacy, with the final Castle Battle being the ultimate showdown to decide who rules.

Our goal is simple: we want to improve Zen's teamwork, sharpen our strategies, and show everyone that we are a leading force. This is our plan.

Project Objective:

To execute a clear plan, ensuring Zen Alliance's active participation to improve coordination and game tactics, solidifying our reputation as a dominant force and a leading NAP member.

Key Results:

• Player Mobilization: 100% of our Top 20 players join the game on time and are ready for the battle.

• Tactical Victory: Zen captures a main turret at least once during the event.

• Strategic Recognition: Zen Alliance is added to the Castle War winner rotation list among the top NAP alliances.

The Battle Plan Execution

This is where the rubber meets the road. Every move is calculated, and every player has a role.

1. Pre-Battle Positioning: One hour before the castle opens, all members must relocate their base to a designated rally point near the castle. The closer, the better. This is non-negotiable—it's how we ensure a fast, overwhelming strike.

2. Sequential Turret Assault: Our attack on the turret will be a precise one-two punch:

   • The First Punch: The initial rally will be led by our strongest damage dealers to break through enemy defenses.

   • The Second Punch: Immediately following the first successful attack, a second rally will launch with a focus on defensive troops. This team's job is to garrison the turret and hold it against any counter-attack. The goal isn't just to hit; it's to hold.

3. Top Player Engagement: The presence of our Top 20 (and especially the Top 10) players is not optional. Your power level and heroes are critical for leading rallies and absorbing damage. Without you, the plan falls apart. Your participation sets the standard for the entire alliance.

This is a team effort. No solo attacks. We move and fight as one. Every player has a vital role. Let's get this done.

Game mechanics Rally Hero selection

Hero	Expedition Skills	Conquest Skills
Gordon	- Healing: Provides a healing effect every 5 seconds, offering high sustain for marches and rallies. <br> - Squad Buffs: Offers supportive unit skills that increase the total attack for the entire squad and provide an HP bonus of up to 25%. <br> - Garrison/Defense Utility: His top right skill is particularly beneficial when leading a garrison or defending buildings, providing powerful buffs to all units.	Information Not Found: The provided sources do not specify Gordon's unique skills for the "Conquest" game mode. His abilities are consistently described in the context of marches, rallies, and garrisons.
Chenko	- Rally Lethality: Her top-right skill (first expedition skill) increases lethality for all troops in a rally by 5-25% at max level. This makes her a premier hero for joining attacking rallies.	Information Not Found: While Chenko is mentioned as a hero for "arena/conquest," specific skills for this game mode are not detailed in the available sources, although it is noted she is "mid" in Conquest.
Amane	- Healing Speed: Her "Exorcism" skill provides a significant bonus to healing speed (up to 50%), making her a must-have for active PvP players. <br> - Squad Attack Buff: Her top offensive skill provides a bonus attack when joining a rally.	Information Not Found: Amane is noted to fall short in Conquest and Arena modes compared to more combat-focused heroes. Her skills are primarily useful for healing and attack buffs in Expedition-style gameplay.
Amadeus	- Squad Attack Buff: Boosts the total attack for his squad. <br> - Defensive Synergy: Possesses three defensive skills that work well together, providing excellent defensive synergy in battle. <br> - PVE: Mentioned as a must-use hero for clearing world mobs.	- HP-Based Attack: Has a Conquest skill that provides a significant bonus to attack when his HP is above a certain threshold. <br> - Garrison Buffs: He is a meta garrison hero due to his "overpowered defensive buffs and debuffs," which enhance squad survivability.
Hilde	- Offensive Power: Has what is described as the "strongest offensive skill in the game," along with a healing skill for sustain. <br> - Squad Buffs: Her "Elixir of Strength" skill boosts squad attack during expeditions.	Information Not Found: While she is considered a top-tier cavalry hero, specific conquest skills are not detailed, but she is noted to be a slight upgrade to Jabel in general combat.
Yeonwoo	- "My Blade and I Are One": This skill increases the total lethality for all troops in a squad, making her a meta offensive rally joiner. <br> - Research Speed: Her other skill provides a permanent research speed buff (e.g., 15%), which is valuable for base optimization.	Information Not Found: Her skills are primarily focused on research and are noted to make her a less effective choice for Expedition and Conquest modes.
Howard	- Tanking: As a F2P frontline tank, he is ideal for leading rallies and absorbing damage. <br> - Area of Effect (AoE): Has skills with AoE capabilities, making him useful for clearing multiple enemies.	Frontline Tank: Often used in the front row in Conquest and Arena to soak up damage and protect more vulnerable units.
Jabel	- AoE Attack: Has skills that deal AoE damage, and is known for being able to "drop AoE bombs" in various modes. <br> - Stun: His skills can also include crowd control effects like stun.	- AoE/Stun: Known for having excellent AoE and stun capabilities in Conquest mode.
Helga	- AoE Damage: Possesses a strong AoE attack, making her a good choice for clearing multiple enemies quickly.	- Balanced Offense/Defense: Has a combination of offensive and defensive skills. <br> - Rally Leadership: Can be a solid choice to lead rallies due to her skills and high lethality stats. <br> - AoE/Stun: Known for her powerful AoE and stun capabilities in this mode.
Quinn	- Single-Target Burst: Primary role is high single-target burst damage. <br> - Bear Trap Rallies: Used as a rally joiner for events like the Bear Trap, but her effectiveness is debated against other heroes.	- AoE Capabilities: While primarily a single-target hero, some sources suggest her AoE abilities are what makes her a good hero to use in Conquest mode.
Merlin	Information Not Found: While Merlin is described as a "monster Ranged damage dealer with excellent crowd control," specific details of his Expedition skills are not available in the provided sources.	- Arena/Conquest: A player-generated guide suggests that his skills are split, with some being better for Arena and others for the map (Expeditions). <br> - Overall: He is considered a strong performer in both Arena and Expedition modes, especially in the early seasons.
Jaeger	- Offensive/Defensive Hybrid: Has a powerful offensive skill with a 20% chance to grant damage for two turns. <br> - Sustain/Defense: His "Celebration" skill provides a guaranteed total squad health bonus of 25%. <br> - Garrison Host: Due to his strong defensive skills, he is highly recommended as a rally host for defending buildings or towers.	Information Not Found: His skills are described as being offensive and defensive, but specific details on how they function in Conquest mode are not available.
Eric	- Squad Health Boost: The provided information confirms that he has an ability to increase total squad health. <br> - Gen 3 Hero: He is a Gen 3 hero, placing him in a strong, later-generation hero pool.	Information Not Found: The provided sources do not specify his Conquest skills, but his A-tier ranking in a Gen 3 tier list suggests he is a viable hero in this mode.

Game mechanics Rally Formation

1. Recommended reading : https://www.zen-nopants.com/post/the-kingshot-rally-handbook-master-your-march

2. Recommended KvK Turret Rally Formations (Attack)

Combination	Rally Leader & Hero Lineup	Rally Joiners (First 4)	Troop Ratio (Infantry:Cavalry:Archer)
Set 1: Balanced Turret Attack	Leader: Helga, Amadeus, and another top-tier Infantry hero.	- Chenko <br> - Yeonwoo <br> - Amane <br> - Another hero with a high-level offensive skill.	60% Infantry, 10% Cavalry, 30% Archers
Set 2: The "Whale" Combo (High Damage)	Leader: A high-level, fully awakened Amadeus, Helga, and Hilde.	- 4x Chenko (all maxed)	20% Infantry, 10% Cavalry, 70% Archers
Set 3: F2P/Low Spender Setup	Leader: Howard, Jabel, and Gordon.	- Amane <br> - Howard <br> - Jabel <br> - Another hero with a high-level offensive skill.	50% Infantry, 20% Cavalry, 30% Archers

Recommended KvK Turret Garrison Formations (Defense)

Combination	Garrison Leader & Hero Lineup	Garrison Joiners (First 4)	Troop Ratio (Infantry:Cavalry:Archer)
Set 1: Balanced Garrison Defense	Leader: Gordon, Jaeger, and Zoe.	- Howard <br> - Another hero with a defensive skill <br> - Any hero with a high-level defensive or AoE skill	50% Infantry, 20% Cavalry, 30% Archers
Set 2: The "Tank" Combo (High Sustain)	Leader: Gordon, Eric, and a high-level Hilde or Howard.	- Howard <br> - Amane (for healing speed) <br> - Another hero with a defensive skill <br> - Any hero with a high-level defensive skill	70% Infantry, 10% Cavalry, 20% Archers
Set 3: The "Full-Spec Archer" Combo	Leader: Zoe, Merlin, and a high-level Jabel.	- Quinn <br> - Another hero with an AoE skill <br> - A hero with a defensive skill <br> - Another hero with a defensive skill	30% Infantry, 20% Cavalry, 50% Archers